Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

They've not been in much use of late but as we begin to use our passports again, misinformation about changes following Brexit and expiry dates are raging. Helpfully, Simon Calder is here to walk you through what you need to remember when using that passport for travel again.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government is set to scrap the eastern leg of HS2 between the Midlands and Leeds with the Transport Department instead set to announce a new rail plan on Thursday. Simon Calder takes a look at the state of the railways in Britain, looking at how the government's new plan for HS2 affects "levelling up" the country and what it means for places like Leeds, which have long felt the effects of being left out of Britain's rail plans.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travellers will have more flight choices, with budget carrier Scoot launching services from London Gatwick to Singapore on Dec 16. The low-cost arm of flag carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) have announced that the flights to London's Gatwick Airport via Bangkok will initially take place three times weekly for only two weeks, before resuming on March 22 next year, with the journey taking about 16.5hrs.In this episode, Simon Calder takes a look at previous attempts at making low cost, long haul flights work. It's been many an airlines downfall, particularly in trying to make transatlantic flights at cheap rates work, but this new route will be a welcome addition to links to Asia and also to Gatwick airport, which has been particularly affected by the pandemic.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boeing has acknowledged liability for the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 in March 2019, in which 157 passengers and crew died. Five months earlier, another 737 Max came down in the Java Sea shortly after leaving the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. All 189 people on board Lion Air flight 610 were killed. The cause of both tragedies was a software system that fatally malfunctioned and defeated the pilots’ efforts to save the aircraft.In today's episode, Simon Calder explains what went wrong with the software and the future of the aircraft, which is back in operation with carriers like Ryanair.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re getting deeply into winter, when things tend to go wrong for airlines and holiday companies. Often, it’s simply not their fault. But fortunately there’s a strict duty of care to look after passengers – and get them where they need to be.But what are your rights as a passenger in terms of due care and compensation? Simon Calder talks you through the obligations airlines and holiday companies are required to meet, as well as things to be aware of when booking flights, particularly transatlantic ones.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Orlando, British visitors begin to arrive in the US now the travel ban has been lifted.A conversation with some of the first arrivals from the UK and an update on the rules and regulations for getting here and travelling around the country.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US travel ban has been lifted for fully vaccinated travellers six hundred days after Donald Trump closed off the US to British visitors.Crossing the Canada-US border at Niagara Falls at midnight, I was the first non-essential British visitor to the US for almost 20 months.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m in Germany, where Covid rates are soaring – as they are across Continental Europe.Passport rules for Europe: what they are, and what you can do if your airline disagrees.And testing rules for America – yet more confusion courtesy of the Foreign Office.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Booster jabs and what could possibly go wrong with your trip to Austria or Israel … and clearing up the mystery of testing for trips to the US.Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aviation and the environment. Will we all be flying around in electric planes by 2030? And is a third runway at Heathrow airport now completely off the table?Of course this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. You can sign up at independent.co.uk/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.